


Vindicated

by Redd000



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: AU: Post Revolution - Peaceful Ending, Android Culture, Android Racism, BAMF Connor, Deviant Connor with Machine Connor's personality, Found Family, Lucy in the Zen Garden, Markus in the Zen Garden, Protective Hank, Protective Markus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2019-09-17 11:14:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16973568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redd000/pseuds/Redd000
Summary: “You hear me, plastic asshole?” Hank asked. Connor tilted his head at the approaching lieutenant. He didn't look the least bit intimidated.“Hank…”Fowler warned. He was on his feet now, trying to decide whether he should step in or not.“I don’t like you," Hank continued, ignoring his boss and getting in the android's face. "Any of you. If it were up to me, I would round all you plastics up, throw you in a dumpster, and light the match!”The grin on Connor's face widened. His eyes searched Hank with a morbid fascination.“Well, what do you know, Lieutenant,” the Deviant Hunter said. “We have something in common after all…”After the Android Revolution in 2036, Jericho became its own, separate city that floats in the river and borders Detroit. Reintegration with humans is slow but both sides are optimistic in its success.Especially Markus, who can just send out his loyal and legendary Deviant Hunter to take care of any androids that aren't compliant with his peaceful ways....Or use him to team up with a washed-up Lieutenant Anderson to investigate android disappearances in Detroit when the FBI seemingly 'forgot' to inform Jericho of the problem.





	1. Chapter 1

“Why are we wasting time sending an android to negotiate? That piece of crap could jump from the rooftop any second!” Captain Allen said, nearly shouting into his phone. He was agitated; pacing, back and forth back and forth in the bedroom of an apartment belonging to the family of the ongoing hostage crisis outside.

He was the leader of the Detroit SWAT team but at the moment, he was absolutely _useless_.

Captain Allen really didn’t care much for androids.

Indifferent was more of an appropriate word. He had little experience with them _before_ the revolution in 2036 (having never bought one for himself and he had never allowed one on his team), and after-the-fact, the creatures had all migrated to the city they had built in the middle of the Detroit River. That was four years ago. Four years of scarcely seeing the damn things—save for on news networks or the occasional, incredibly rare straggler that had decided to stay with its original human family.

Four years of Detroit being android-free and run primarily by humans...

Then came the reintegration visas. They had been in effect for roughly two years now, but they hadn’t really started gaining traction until a few months ago. The world was treating the introduction of a new species as if they were merely immigrants from a foreign country. Androids could be ‘sponsored’ to live in households with willing families or stay in funded housing units that were scattered across the city.

From what Allen had understood of the application process, they had to sacrifice quite a bit—leaving their safe haven of Jericho for just measly, entry-level jobs. Markus, the android leader, had said in an interview that the applicants weren’t in it for the money but rather for cognizance of the android species as well as teaching tolerance and acceptance in hopes of making reintegration easier.

It hadn’t made Allen’s job easier.

A sponsored android was currently holding a little girl hostage. It was standing on the lip of a terrace, balancing with a precision that only a machine could pull off, and armed with a gun that had already been used to kill the father of its host family and two of Allen’s men.

The recipient of Allen’s angry phone call tried to explain, _“Allen, we are well aware, but without the negotiator—"_

“I don’t give a shit!” Allen snapped. “My men are ready to step in, just give the order!”

It went without saying that tensions were a little high.

Captain Allen and his team were at an unnecessary standstill with the hostage-taker outside. _Unnecessary_ because they had a perfectly clear shot to take the thing out and get the girl to safety but they weren’t allowed to do so because the target was a fucking android.

Crimes committed by androids were few and far between, but there was a very specific protocol that had to be met whenever any member of law enforcement had to deal with them. That protocol involved waiting for a Jericho representative. The ‘Floating City’ wasn’t far from their current location, and they hadn’t been waiting long despite it feeling otherwise, but Allen wasn’t sure they had a lot of time left. He didn’t know enough about androids to successfully gauge their intentions. He was starting to fear what would happen if they didn’t take action soon.

He was pleading with his boss, even though it didn’t sound like it. He wasn’t allowed to say it out loud, but the unspoken: _That girl’s life is more important than a stupid robot!_ rang loud and clear in both sets of ears. And while both men on the phone so obviously felt that statement to be true, the consensus was that the little girl’s life was not worth pissing off Markus.

 _“Our hands are tied, Allen,”_ his superior said with a calmness that just angered Allen more. _“I know. I’m sorry. But you have to wait.”_

“Fuck! I don’t believe this…” Allen said, nearly crushing his phone in his grip. The plastic whined in protest, threatening to snap under the pressure but he hung up and pocketed the thing before it could actually break.

“Captain Allen?” a voice asked behind him, catching his attention. “My name is Connor. I’m the android sent by Jericho.”

 _About fucking time, asshole!_ Allen snarled in his head. He turned back to the monitor so the android couldn’t see his expression. He needed to calm himself down. The last thing he needed was the robot to report him or his team for not being cooperative.

“It’s firing at everything that moves,” Allen said, more to the man at the console than the android behind him but he knew the thing was listening. “He already shot down two of my men. We could easily get him, but they’re on the edge of the balcony. If he falls—” he turned back to Connor “—she falls.”

Connor didn’t look like any android Allen had seen before. Again, his experience with the things was very limited, but with the exception of Markus, androids shared the same handful of faces. Connor looked young and well crafted. It made Allen wonder what its primary function was before the revolution. The thought of asking it came to mind, but he dismissed it immediately. He would probably start foaming at the mouth if he found out Jericho had sent over their resident dog walker to handle a hostage situation.

The Captain turned his attention back to the monitors, his eyes locked on the blonde android in the center of the screen. It was holding onto the little girl with one arm, a gun pointed directly at her head. There were so many opportunities for a clear shot. If they could just—

“Do you know its name?” Connor asked, interrupting Allen’s thoughts.

“I haven’t got a clue. Does it matter?”

He had possession of the android’s visa but that only had the thing’s model number, serial number, and CyberLife test score (which was very high and positive) on the card.  It was the only way humans could successfully identify an android. What with the whole ‘sharing faces’ thing.

There was no way Connor didn’t already have those numbers.

“I need information to determine the best approach,” Connor insisted.

 _The best approach_ , Allen thought, _would be shooting the damn thing in the head and calling it a fucking day!_

He _really_ needed to calm down. He was going to get himself in trouble. He normally didn’t allow himself to get this worked up during a crisis, but he was also allowed more free-reign during these situations sans robots.

“Listen, saving that kid is all that matters. So, either you deal with this fucking android now or I’ll take care of it.”

Connor’s face twitched for just a moment in what Allen could only describe as a brief annoyance. Good! Fuck that stupid android. It had made Allen wait when he could have easily handled the situation himself. It had made that poor girl’s chances plummet.

He stormed off into the hallway and ducked behind some cover, hoping separation would help him cool off. Let the fucking robot roam the house, do whatever it needs to do. It could come and get Allen whenever it decided it wanted to do its fucking job.

He watched the thing disappear into the victim’s room only to come out a few seconds later. It went into the living room, checked the father’s body on the floor, and then moved on.

One of his men called out, “All units hold positions. The negotiator’s going in!”

Captain Allen stood up to better see into the other room where the android disappeared. It was in the kitchen now. Still walking around the apartment, ducking under tables, turning off stoves, picking up shit—

— _Wasting fucking time…_

“What’s it doing?” The man beside Allen asked.

“I have no idea…” Allen mumbled, turning his attention away for a moment. “But I wish it would hurry the fuck up. We spent forever waiting for the damn thing. Was that just so we could watch them jump together? Christ...”

“Captain Allen,” the android said. It was now right behind him, having moved with a speed and stealth Allen hadn’t prepared for. He somehow managed not to jump out of his skin.

“What?” Allen snapped, twisting around to face the thing.

“I have finished gathering information and I believe it would be best to let me handle this,” Connor said and before Allen could process the meaning behind that, the android was already heading towards the door.

“Wait… wait, what?!” Allen said as he chased after it. “Hey! Hey, asshole! You can’t just—”

A gunshot rang out, shattering glass and causing the room (save the android who didn’t even flinch) to jump and duck for cover.

“Holy shit!” One of his men called out, earning Allen’s attention. _Another man down, fucking wonderful!_ “Cover me while I evacuate him!”

Allen went to assist but Connor snatched his arm and pulled him back.

“I _strongly_ believe it would be best to let me handle this, Captain,” Connor repeated. Its unblinking stare bore into Allen’s eyes. The Captain's lips pinched in his irritation but he caved to the idea, and nodded in agreement.

“If he kills you,” he said, making sure to change the pronouns when he spoke them aloud. “I’m telling Markus that going in alone was _your_ idea.”

“He would believe that,” Connor said, the corner of its mouth quirked up in something akin to amusement and… admiration? Whatever it was, it lasted less than a second before the android’s face returned to a stoic indifference. “And understood.”

It fixed its tie and then continued to make its way to the door. Allen watched it leave for a moment before darting back to his fallen man.

“Are you okay?” he asked. His injured teammate looked up and nodded.

“I’m… yeah, I’m fine.”

Just rattled— _Thank God!_ Allen patted the man’s shoulder in an effort to comfort him before twisting to look into the bedroom.

“I want eyes closer,” he called, waving at the man on the monitor to come over. “Coffee table. Over here—” he turned back to the men in the hall “—Cover him!”

He wanted to be able to actually see the hostage negotiation take place as well as respond accordingly and _fast_ should Connor’s moronic plan fall through. His men followed the order seamlessly. The monitor was now much closer to the actual scene.

“Go away! All of you! Go away or I’ll jump!” the android outside shouted. The firearm in its hand waved widely toward anything that moved before settling back on Emma’s temple. “Stay back! Don’t come any closer!”

“No! No, please! I’m begging you!” Emma cried, her sobs were drowned out by the roaring helicopter above her.

Connor slowly approached the sliding glass door and pulled the curtain back to walk outside—

—And was immediately shot. Blue exploded from the android’s shoulder, splattering across the glass door like a bursting star.

“Jesus Christ!” Allen jumped, his attention shot to the actual door in a panic. Allen’s hands jumped to the top of his head, elbows winged out as he raked back his hair, tugging at the locks to help ground his nerves.

Connor’s body had twisted from the impact of the hit. The slash that the bullet had left behind looked deep, and even from the living room, Allen could see the blue sparks that were lighting up the inside of the android. Connor’s LED spun red for a cycle, then two…

Then it was back to blue and the android went on as if nothing had happened. Allen released the breath he was holding and shook his head. That was too fucking close. He was getting sick of seeing blood and bodies, regardless of species.

And despite joking about it, he had no idea what to do if the other android killed Connor.

“Hi, Daniel!” Connor called, speaking over the roaring wind from the helicopter above. Speaking as if it hadn’t just been shot in the _fucking_ shoulder.

Allen was starting to see the benefits of sending in an android.

“Turn that up. I want audio.” Allen said while pointing at the screen. The body cams on his men that were positioned closest to the door should be strong enough to pick up the conversation.

The hostage-taker, Daniel, looked suspicious. His weapon was still trained on Connor, but it was hesitating on pulling the trigger again.

“How…?”

“My name is Connor.”

“How do you know my name?” That was something Allen was wondering too. The thought of what Connor did before the deviancy crisis four years ago came to mind once again, but there were other pressing matters at hand.

“I know a lot of things about you,” Connor continued. It was walking forward, closing the gap between it and the other android rather quickly. “I’ve come to get you out of this.”

Allen’s eyes were glued to the monitor, his heart pounding against his ribcage. He didn’t think anything could tear his attention away from the scene in front of him. He was almost afraid to blink.

“I know you’re angry, Daniel. But you need to trust me and let me help you.”

“I don’t want your help! Nobody can help me!” Its voice was frantic and wavering in pitches. “All I want is for all this to stop I… I just want all this to stop.”

It let out a sob and looked at the helicopter that hovered just above it. Its face crumpled and it looked as if it was truly taking in the situation—taking in and understanding—for the first time, how truly fucked it was. Daniel was desperate.

Connor did not seem the least bit fazed. It carried itself with a calmness that Allen found slightly unnerving. From what the Captain had gathered through all the android protests, androids considered themselves living beings.

Living beings feared death.

“They were going to replace you and you became upset. They were looking up newer applicants from Jericho and you overheard. That’s what happened, right?” Connor asked, its tone sympathetic and understanding.

_Where was Connor getting this information?_

“I thought I was part of the family. I thought I mattered…” A pained expression crossed Daniel’s face. It looked to be thinking something over, recalling memories, before suddenly remembering why it was in this situation. Through a growl and gritted teeth, it said, “But I was just their toy! Something to throw away when you’re done with it!”

It pointed the weapon at Emma’s head once more, and the girl squealed and sobbed in terror. A wave of nausea and nerves washed down Allen’s body. He could normally disassociate himself from his work, but this one was hitting him harder than he would have liked. If Connor failed… If Emma fell...

“I know you and Emma were very close,” Connor continued. Allen’s attention snapped back to the screen. The android hadn’t even batted an eye at the threat towards Emma, hadn’t even acknowledged it. Nerves of fucking steel. Or plastic. “You think she betrayed you, but she’s done nothing wrong.”

Allen felt his head bobbing up and down, a nod in agreement. _Yes. Yes! Get the blame off the girl._

“She lied to me!” Daniel insisted, his voice breaking off at the end in a restrained sob. “I thought she loved me but I was wrong… she’s just like all the other humans!”

“Daniel, _no!_ ” Emma cried out. Allen wished she hadn’t. She shouldn’t draw attention to herself like that. She shouldn’t remind Daniel that she was there.

Connor was about halfway to Daniel and Emma but he stopped and then changed direction, heading towards something to the left.

 _No, no, no!_ Allen wanted to shout. The girl is the priority! What could have possibly caught the android’s attention—

“Oh my God…” Allen said. Because he saw what Connor did. _Wilson was still alive!_ He whipped around to face his team, snapping his fingers for their attention while trying to pinpoint the paramedics that were on standby at the same time.

“Be ready,” he ordered. They nodded in understanding and made their way a bit closer to the doorway. Allen turned his attention back to the monitor just in time to catch Daniel shoot at Connor and Wilson.

“Fucking-A!” One of Allen’s men shouted from the living room. The Captain agreed.

Connor’s hands had jerked back and its head shot up to face Daniel, but its expression remained unreadable and its LED stayed that calming blue.

_Who the fuck was this bot?_

“Don’t touch him,” Daniel snapped, the weapon was trained on Connor. “Touch him and I kill you!”

Connor’s expression finally changed, but it wasn’t to one that Allen (or Daniel for that matter) had been expecting. It had actually rolled his eyes and scoffed. Like it was annoyed.

The action made something trigger in Allen; an uncomfortable feeling that settled in his gut. He wished he had asked Connor what he did before the revolution because _that look_ … Connor had done this before. Had faced danger before. Had been held at gunpoint and dealt with high-stress levels and chaotic, crisis situations. The look Connor had just given Daniel told Allen a lot more about this android than he would have been able to gather through a conversation.

“I’m the only one here that’s on your side, _Daniel,_ ” Connor said in a tone that would make you think it was holding Daniel at gunpoint rather than the other way around. “If you even want to think about getting out of here alive, I would strongly suggest you don’t threaten me again.”

Daniel’s eyes widened as he watched Connor defiantly tug off the tie around its neck. The negotiator never broke eye contact with Daniel, staring at him with a piercing, almost challenging glare. Like a dare. Connor was _daring_ Daniel to pull the trigger again…

Connor finally broke eye contact with the other android to wrap its tie around Wilson’s wound and then rose to its feet. Its eyes were closed and it took several, calming breaths before looking back up at Daniel with a soft, sympathetic smile. 

It was then that Allen realized that Connor was not naturally a sympathetic android. It was faking. Everything. Literally every movement. Every _emotion_.

The android's indifference towards the situation wasn't because it was hiding its fear—but because it was fucking  _bored_.

Daniel didn’t seem to catch on, thankfully. The thing was foolishly clinging onto Connor’s every word. The Jericho android truly was its only way out of this situation. Allen started to wonder how Jericho handled their criminals. If they even did.

“Listen. I know it’s not your fault. Extreme emotions are what caused us to deviate in the first place, Daniel. We feel them far more intensely than humans do. It can make us do things we would never think of doing…” Connor spread his arms out in a wide gesture, pointing out the entire situation. “None of this is your fault, Daniel. None of it.”

“No. It’s not my fault. I never wanted this… I loved them… you know? I—”

The helicopter above the scene dipped lower, spiking up debris and increasing the noise. Daniel growled in frustration and covered its ears. The helicopter had been a clear nuisance for it throughout this entire ordeal. It looked as if it had finally reached the limit of what it was willing to tolerate.

“I can’t stand that noise anymore! Tell that helicopter to get out of here!”

Connor looked up at the rotorcraft as if contemplating something before it rose a hand and waved the vehicle away. Allen gripped at his radio, ready to order his men off if they felt they shouldn’t listen to the android but his guys in the sky obeyed. They circled around and away from the scene. It became easier to hear the androids.

“There. I did what you wanted,” Connor said. “You have to trust me, Daniel. Let the hostage go, and I promise you everything will be fine.”

Daniel thought for a moment, almost—almost agreeing to it, but backed out at the last second.

“I want everyone to leave!” it shouted, loud enough to hear in the living room without the amped-up audio. “And I want a car. When I’m outside the city, I’ll let her go!”

It was trying to compromise. Trying to make a deal. It trusted Connor.

_Holy shit._

“That’s impossible, Daniel. Let the girl go, and I _promise_ you won’t be hurt.”  
  
Allen wondered again how much of that promise Connor was willing to keep. Was Daniel going to be in trouble at all? Did Markus even fucking care?

“I don’t want to die…” Daniel said as if asking for reassurance. Connor was happy to oblige, offering another smile.

“You’re not going to die, we’re just going to talk. Nothing will happen to you, you have my word.”

Daniel hesitated. It searched over Connor’s face and stance, looking for anything that might suggest the other android was lying to it. Allen was wondering himself how true to its word Connor intended on keeping...

“Okay….” Daniel finally said with a nod. It looked a bit relieved. “I trust you.”

Daniel looked at Emma with a pained expression before slowly lowering her to the ground. Her feet touched the patio and she ran to the side before tripping, her bad leg sending her to the ground and she let out a sob. Allen’s eyes widened.

_Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!_

“STAND! STAND!” Allen shouted over his chattering men in a near panic. The hostage was safe, but the target was still armed (and still a fucking android). Allen pushed his way to the front, nearly hurtling over the debris to get there. He pulled out his gun and motioned for his men to start moving in.

Connor held out a hand, telling Allen and his team to stop. Its attention remained on Daniel.

“That’s good. That’s good,” Connor said, offering Daniel a warm smile. “Now step away from the ledge. I don’t want you to fall.”

It reached its hand out to Daniel, palm facing up. It bobbed its fingers into its palm, in a ‘come here’ gesture. Daniel slowly reached out to grab Connor’s hand, but the other android frowned and pulled away, pointing at the firearm instead.

“I need the gun, Daniel,” Connor said, and then it held out its hand again. Daniel looked at the weapon before turning back to Connor with a suspicious look.

“I think I would rather hold onto it…” it said and made to step away, but Connor’s hand suddenly surged forward, snatching onto Daniel’s arm, and yanking the other robot close.

“I am the only thing standing between you and them,” Connor said, hissing in Daniel’s ear with an anger that was a stark contrast to the soft, sympathetic personality that it had shown up until this point. “I’m not going _anywhere_ until you hand that gun over.”

Its tone was clipped and demanding like it was reprimanding a child and not a homicidal criminal that was still very much armed.

Connor presented its hand again, stiffly uncurling each of its fingers. The piercing glare that accompanied the action said it was _not_ a request.  
  
Daniel shifted nervously, dropping its gaze to the ground and searching the area in thought before finally deciding to comply. Connor took the weapon with confidence. An _experienced_ confidence. Allen’s eyes narrowed at that. It was suspicious. The whole android’s attitude had become suspicious.

He decided to let it go. He hadn’t asked Connor what he was originally programmed for when he had the opportunity and he wasn’t going to ask now. He held up his hand and bobbed it forward; the men beside him rushed to action. A few ran to Wilson. Several ran to Emma. The rest tried to go for Daniel but were stopped by Connor.

“That won’t be necessary,” the negotiator said in a stern tone. The men turned to Allen, questioning the order, but Allen had to obey because _it wasn’t worth pissing off Markus_. All these accommodations he had to make for the androids were really starting to irritate him. He waved his men off and they scattered away to help the others.

“Do you need medical attention?” Allen asked, turning to Connor and pointing at the thing’s sparking arm. Could androids even _get_ medical attention? Was that a dumb thing to ask? He didn’t know. A part of him was praying that Connor would decline, not because Allen wasn’t sure he had the means to help an android but because he wanted these fucking robots gone and out of here as fast as possible.

Connor lifted its arm to get a better look at the damage. The android raised an eyebrow as if curious but its face remained blank.

“No,” it said. Its hands rose up to meet a tie that wasn’t there before shifting to the lapels of the jacket instead, straightening it out. “I can get repairs when I return to Jericho.”

“Thank God,” Allen said, not even caring he had said it out loud. Connor didn’t seem to care but Daniel gave the Captain a dirty look. Allen’s face soured. “So, what now? What are you going to do with it— _him_.”

 _Shit!_ If that fuck up was going to get him sent to sensitivity training—

Connor didn’t seem affected by his pronoun mistake. Connor didn’t seem affected by… anything, really.

_What the hell was up with this thing?_

“I have already written up and sent the report to your commanding officer, Captain Allen. You needn’t worry about having to do any paperwork for this case,” Connor said, side-eyeing Allen.

“Whoop-de- _fucking_ -doo,” Allen said. Paperwork had been the least of his concerns, but now he was annoyed about whatever the fucking android had decided to put in that report. Chances are it was grossly inaccurate. Biased and in favor of the more _mechanical_ side of the incident. “That’s not what I meant, though. I want to know what’s going to happen to _him_.”

He threw a pointed finger at Daniel. Connor looked over at the other bot. That expressionless look was still on its face.

“Daniel broke an agreement with Jericho. It will be handled accordingly.”

It would take Captain Allen several hours to realize that the ‘it’ in Connor’s sentence was referring to Daniel, and not to the situation. Several, long, thought-out hours. Hours of replaying the scenario in his head, over and over and over again in hopes of trying to better understand what the fuck happened next.

Because that statement, the one made in that indifferent tone after making a promise of _everything will be fine_ , had made Allen mad. The fury he had been trying to hold back all night burst through like a dam.

He was more than red in the face when he said, “You know, I think it’s a little fucked up that we have to bend over backward whenever humans even look at you plastics funny, but whenever one of you pricks hurts a human or… I don’t know—” he motioned in the direction the paramedics had taken Emma “—there are no consequences whatsoever!”

Connor had frozen so abruptly, it was almost jarring. Allen found his breath suddenly caught in his throat. The android slowly turned its attention to look at him, its eyes cold and void of any emotion. The sympathetic performance it had put on for Daniel was clearly done and over with.

“There are _always_ consequences, Captain,” the android said. “Androids that have decided to leave Jericho to help the integration process with humans must pass a mandatory compliance test before even being put up for consideration.”

Its eyes darted over to look at Daniel and the other android shamefully dipped its head.

“I know,” Daniel said. “I know I’m in trouble. I know Markus is going to be very upset with me.”

“He most certainly is,” Connor said. It tilted its head to the side, suggesting curiosity but its expression didn’t change. “You passed the personality tests with flying colors, Daniel. It’s incredibly disappointing to see you in this state.”

Daniel was about to say something, maybe defend itself, but wisely shut its mouth instead.

“Yeah, I know of that,” Allen said, trying not to sound annoyed. “They need Cyberlife-approved visas or whatever.”

Connor held its glare for a while longer, staring at Daniel in a way that made it seem as if the negotiator was trying to figure out what the hell to do with it. Then, it turned to Allen and shook its head.

“They need to be approved before that. A test before that test. Jericho does not want to send out androids that might make the city or the species look bad… as I’m sure you can understand.” It offered a polite smile that didn't look natural— they never really did, in Allen’s opinion. At least not when the smile was directed at him. But with this one… with this android... it seems more than forced. As if it had to will its lips to curve. As if it had to remind itself to do it.

Allen resisted a growl of frustration. Was Connor asking for confidentiality? Because this bot— _Daniel_ or whatever—had so obviously breached whatever contract it had signed with Jericho after murdering one of its hosts and endangering a little girl… It wouldn’t look good for the androids should the public find out.

It wasn’t like Allen was allowed to discuss cases involving androids anyway. And it wasn't like there were many. For the most part, androids obeyed the laws of humans better than most humans did.

Connor opened the chamber of the gun he had confiscated from Daniel. It inspected the loaded weapon for a brief moment before slamming it closed. It pulled back the hammer.

“And if they fail the test?” Allen asked he motioned towards Daniel. “If they breach contract then what? You come and pick them up. Send them back to your city with a slap on the wrist? All is forgiven and we humans just have to be okay with that?”

The android’s attention snapped back to Allen.

“Of course, not, Captain,” Connor said. The incredulous expression on the thing’s face seemed genuine. As if even _it_ thought the notion of Daniel getting away with the crime was laughably absurd.

“Then what do you do with them?” Allen asked. Connor stared at the Captain for a heartbeat or two before he twisted to face Daniel. It watched the other android with a blank expression and then lifted the firearm, aiming right at the other thing’s head.

“They’re executed,” Connor said and then fired— _Again! Again! Again!_ —hitting Daniel once in the head, twice in the heart, and once in the sternum. It watched, disinterested, as its fellow android collapsed to its knees. Daniel’s mouth hung open in surprised horror; not unlike the humans surrounding it, each one having jumped back and ducked down at the sound of gunfire.

Connor held its aim with the dead android for a moment longer before finally lowering the weapon. It grabbed the chamber with its other hand, unloaded the clip to throw it aside, and then extended out its arm, smacking the flat side of the gun onto Allen’s chest. Allen, who was too horror-struck by what had just happened to voice any words, awkwardly fumbled to keep the weapon from falling and then gaped up at Connor in surprise.

“Have a good night, Captain,” Connor said. It dipped its head in dismissal and then casually walked back into the apartment. Allen watched it leave before his eyes drifted to the broken, bloody mess it had left on the balcony. 

Captain Allen _really_ didn’t care much for androids.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an AU that I've been playing around with for a while now and I'm so excited to finally be posting it! 
> 
> I need to thank Veilder for reading through this for me (to make sure the grammar was acceptable as well as the content) You're amazing! THANK YOU!
> 
> I also, need to drop this:
> 
> https://discord.gg/GqvNzUm
> 
> The link to the New Era: Discord server! It's full of amazing people that love to talk and throw around ideas and stories and art -- feel free to join us! You'll have a wonderful time! :D
> 
> And thank you SO MUCH for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

“Excuse me? Sir? Are—Are you a police officer?” A woman; thin and pretty with short cropped hair hidden underneath a beanie had been pacing the bullpen for a while now, waiting to catch someone’s attention. She had a photo in her hand, pressed tightly against her chest and a worried expression on her face.

Hank Anderson, the police lieutenant, had been watching her from the safety of his desk since she walked in. If it were another day at another time, he might have gotten up and offered to help. Unfortunately for her, his shift was over in five minutes, and he had a date with a whiskey at Jimmy’s Bar downtown. Equally ufortunate for her... she had stopped and asked Agent Perkins.

“Do I _look_ like a fucking ‘police officer’?” Perkins snapped, pointing to the large FBI lettering across the front of his jacket. He scoffed and dramatically rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe this bullshit.”

Hank couldn’t believe Perkins’ bullshit either. The FBI had assigned several agents to all the districts in the city to help mediate android/human relations. Any and all cases involving androids went straight to the feds. They had become little more than a special unit and while they all knew this, they mostly kept quiet about essentially being demoted. Not Perkins, though. Good ol’ Perkins held onto his pride and was quick to correct anyone who confused him for anything less than the bureau.

Even pedestrians in distress.

“I don’t handle mall cop work!” he snapped and then threw a pointed finger toward the bullpen. “Go ask one of them!”

And he then stormed away like a dramatic movie villain, leaving the poor woman close to tears in the middle of the hallway. Hank let out a long, dramatic sigh and slouched his shoulders. He was tired and wanted to go home… but he wasn’t heartless.

“Over here, Ma’am,” he said, waving her over to his desk. “I can help you out.”

The woman jolted in surprise, her attention snapped over to Hank and she hurried over to his desk like he would change his mind if she took too long. There was a dull ache in the back of his throat, a phantom desire for the alcohol he had been craving since he got up this morning. He ignored it. He would feed his addiction after this.

“Alright, what's the trouble, Miss...?”

“Kara,” Kara said. “My name is Kara.”

“Just Kara? No last name?”

She hesitated as if thinking something over before finally deciding on, “Chapman.”

Hank gave her a dubious look but didn’t press it. What did he care if her name was fake? He didn’t even care to be here.

“Okay, Kara. What brings you in today?” He hoped he didn’t sound as tired and bland as he felt. Kara looked down at the photo, worrying the edges with her fingertips before deciding to hand it over. Her hand started shaking when he took it from her.

It was a picture of Kara. A large, black man had her in half a hug, one arm wrapped around her thin frame and she was pressed against his. On one of the man’s shoulders sat a little girl. All three of them were smiling. Happily. Posed for a perfect shot.

All three of them had LEDs.

Hank’s heart sank. His gaze slowly rose to look at the woman and then drifted to the beanie on her head.

“This is my family,” Kara said, oblivious to the lieutenant’s distractions. “They’re missing. They—My little girl and my husband,” she said, her voice was starting to waver. “They’re missing. No one will help me. No one will help. Please… please…”

Hank didn’t know androids could cry. He didn’t know they were capable of such a range of emotions either. It was making him uncomfortable.

“I…” he started but he had to stop and force himself to swallow. He shook his head and let out a long sigh, exhaling through his nose. He looked down at the picture and then back up at Kara’s beanie. “I’m not… technically allowed to help androids.”

That was true. He wasn’t. Any cases involving androids (whether they were the victims or the perps) _had_ to be taken to the feds. It was why they were buzzing around the precinct. All they really seemed to do for the cases was call in Jericho mediators and dealing with the press but they were pretty adamant about the rules. If an android was involved, it was out of DPD hands.

Kara shrank back into herself, her hope fleeting.

“Please, sir. Please,” she whispered. “I’ll do anything. I’ll do _anything!_ I don’t know where else to go.”

“Why haven’t you gone to Jericho?” Hank asked. The android shook her head.

“I can’t go to Jericho. I don’t… We don’t have visas.”

Hank leaned back in his chair, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised but he wasn’t accusatory.

“You’re in the city illegally?” he asked. Androids weren’t allowed to leave Jericho unless they had permission. Jericho _and_ CyberLife both had to approve those cards. It kept unregistered androids out of Jericho's responsibility should one decide to go absolutely postal.

“Not illegally,” Kara said, sniffing away her tears. She took a shaky breath and tried to pull herself together. “We live with my friend Rose. We lived with her during the revolution too, but we fled to Canada instead of Jericho when things were getting… intense. We’re registered but we can’t get jobs or do… anything, really. Not until we apply to Jericho and that process takes forever.”

Hank snorted. That was an understatement. Getting anything approved through CyberLife’s new HQ was a fucking nightmare.

“I'm… _really_ not authorized to help you,” Hank started slowly. He scratched at his beard, conflicting thoughts wracking his brain. “I don't have the equipment, resources, or legal grounds to do… anything for you, really. Those are reserved for—”

He slowly pointed his finger to the FBI's makeshift corner. Kara sagged in disappointment. Hank didn’t blame her. Not after her run-in with Perkins The Prick.

“The FBI would take too long too,” she said in a lowered voice. “They’d have to contact Jericho and try to go through them first and… as I mentioned before—”

“Yeah.”

“...Yeah.” She dropped her gaze to her hands, wringing her gloved fingers together.

“Your leader… Markus? He can’t help you?” From what Hank had understood, he was very welcoming to his own species.

“He probably would if I could get to him,” Kara explained. She took back the photo and looked at it longingly. “But Jericho is guarded by CyberLife. CyberLife is run by humans.”

Hank sighed and shook his head. He was starting to regret offering his help. That thought left a guilty knot in his gut that didn’t sit right with him, though he wasn’t quite sure why that was. He didn’t get attached to normal cases—this one barely registered as a real one at all.

On that note, he leaned over and opened a drawer in his desk, pulling out a card and tablet. He woke the tablet up, put in his password, hit a few keys, and then scanned the card. It beeped like a price scanner, activating it.

“Here.” He handed the card over to Kara who took it with a puzzled expression. “A police pass. It'll get you through the gates, but you'll be on your own from there. Still… it's a start.”

“How does it work?” Kara asked, eagerly accepting the card.

“It… technically says you work for the DPD,” Hank said. “They won't ask you questions and if they do, just say it's a police matter. They scan the card, see that a Lieutenant approved it, and let you on in. But it's not exactly… protocol.”

It was actually incredibly illegal. Kara seemed to have gotten the message as she clutched the card to her chest.

“Thank you,” she whispered. He waved her off.

“None of that. Off you go. You get caught, I’m denying everything.”

She smiled, wiped away more tears, and nodded frantically. He watched her leave, hurry out of the precinct with a smile on her face and a hope in her eyes that made his chest tighten. He didn’t know what had compelled him to do that. He didn’t particularly care for androids—he wasn’t even sure he believed they were alive in the first place. But there was something about sending Kara to Perkins after her first encounter with the man that didn’t feel right to Hank. It also got the android out of his hair and killed off the remaining five minutes of his shift he had been waiting for.

With a sigh, he logged off of his computer, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the door. He should probably be worried or concerned about Kara (or at least the consequences of giving Kara a way into Jericho without going through the proper protocols) but there was a whiskey at Jimmy’s Bar that had his name on it and besides… what was the worst that could honestly happen?

* * *

Connor wasn’t deaf to the gossip inside Jericho’s walls. He had a reputation (one that wasn’t terribly off base, either) for being blank, stoic, and mechanical. The Deviant Hunter, they called him. He had other names, too: Markus’ Hunter. The Android Assassin. The Mechanical _Pet._

He didn’t care much for the titles or the names but he knew them all. The crueler ones were never spoken to his face (not that he cared, regardless). Truthfully, he found it a bit amusing. Their species was still too new to have any kind of urban legends or horror stories outside of pre-deviancy life with humans, but _The Deviant Hunter_ was a monster known by all of them.

YK models would tell stories to scare each other about him. In the stories, he was the android boogeyman. He only came out at night, stalking his victims and murdering them in the most horrific ways. Sometimes he ate them. Sometimes he had supernatural abilities. The only consistent thing in all the stories was that the monster worked for Markus.

The truth was nowhere near as extravagant as the children made it out to be. He had hunted and killed deviant androids before, but he didn’t have claws or fangs or superpowers. He was just… advanced. That’s what CyberLife had told him. The most advanced prototype ever created and he had been created for a very specific job. Figure out the cause of deviancy in androids. Stop it. Stop the android revolution. Stop Markus…

Markus is where everything fell to shit. Connor had come close—dangerously close—to completing his mission, but he had severely underestimated Markus’ sympathy and stubbornness. He refused to kill Connor after the so-called ‘hunter’ had failed. Refused to listen to his friends about how dangerous keeping CyberLife’s pet was and how Markus was putting all their lives in danger. Refused to give up on the RK800 in any capacity.

It had been hell at the time, but Connor appreciated it now. Markus saw something of value in him, something that even CyberLife did not. To the humans, Connor was a prototype sent out on a mission and meant to be thrown away the very second he was no longer of use. To Markus, Connor was more than that.  
  
He had come down to Connor’s cell—almost daily despite being the leader of the revolution—and had intense, in-depth conversations with his prisoner. With Connor. He had topped him off with Thirium even though Connor knew they had scarce resources. He had treated him like he was worth something. Like he was a person and he deserved respect.

Then there was a day that Markus had come to Connor’s cell and unlocked the door for the final time…

_“I have a job for you, Connor. A permanent one. Would you like to accept it?”_

Connor didn’t outwardly express it, but he knew what pride felt like. He had learned it that day. The day Markus trusted him to be _his_ Deviant Hunter. _His_ Android Assassin. It was the most incredible feeling in the world. He relished every second of it.

He was heading to Markus now, actually. The mission he had just completed involving the rogue deviant, Daniel, had been been a success and it was time to update his leader. Markus always preferred to do this in person.

He was quite satisfied with today’s events, shown through the quarter he was currently flicking up and down; a habit turned hobby that he hadn’t broken out of since his CyberLife days. Something to do with his hands as well as something to actually _do._ Not having an objective or task in his queue made him jittery.

He was taking the seldom-used back gates of Jericho as opposed to walking through the busy CyberLife main entrance. Taking the front always brought on a very specific attention with it, and while the horrified stares didn’t actually bother him, he preferred to take the route with as little interaction as possible. Despite being designed for negotiations and integration, Connor didn’t do well around people; human or his own.

Jericho was known as ‘The Floating City’ but in reality, it was more of an underwater one. Most of the buildings and homes that were displayed on the surface were for show. Few humans were aware of the lower levels the city possessed (and even fewer knew of the virtual aspects behind it). Several media outlets had attempted to gain a full tour of the city but it wasn’t hard to push back in the name of ‘android security and safety.’ They had to accommodate every now and again with the FBI and other government organizations, but Connor (who was in charge of all of Jericho’s security) found it was incredibly easy to satisfy the humans and when he reported to Markus that the humans were not currently a threat, Markus trusted him wholeheartedly.

Trust. Despite his failures. Despite his past. Markus’ trust meant everything to Connor. Markus was the only person Connor cared about. North, Markus’ girlfriend, was a _very_ close second.

Markus had two offices. The ones the media knew about and frequently circled in hopes of catching his attention and then his real one. It was about seven stories down, in the middle of the city, but it could easily be reached through access tunnels, some of which (like the ones Connor frequently used) were blocked off to the general public. Connor could usually travel the entire city, underground and undisturbed; disappearing and reappearing in record time. Sometimes he wondered if that’s where the supernatural aspects of his ‘legend’ began. The Deviant Hunter couldn’t walk through walls… but he did walk under them.

He was just about to open the door to Markus’ office, having made his way through the city and down into the lower levels undetected, when voices—several of them—made him stop just short of it.

“Your concern has been noted, Josh. Thank you.” That was Markus and he sounded annoyed. Connor turned up his audial to better hear the conversation. He didn’t normally eavesdrop on Markus but if something had annoyed the leader, it usually led to Connor getting a new assignment.  

“So you’re not going to do anything?” Josh said in disbelief. “You’re not going to even _say_ anything?”

“What’s there to say?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Markus. You could at least acknowledge that you send a fucking _sociopath_ out to handle the most delicate of human/android relations!”

Markus and Josh were talking about him. He wasn’t sure what to think of that. It felt strange. Odd. Like an uncomfortable knot in his gut that he couldn’t dispel. It was unpleasant.

“He’s _not_ a sociopath,” Markus said, his tone clipped and defiant. Connor released a breath. A sigh he hadn’t realized he had been holding. As long as Markus believed that then nothing else mattered. He didn’t give a shit about Josh or his opinion.

With that in mind, he knocked on the door three times and then walked inside the office without waiting for a response.

Markus was sitting at his desk. Simon was in the corner, leaning against Markus’ bookshelf with his arms crossed, but he stood to panicked attention when he saw Connor enter. Josh’s expression shifted from annoyed to panic to irritation fast enough for a normal android to have missed it entirely.

Connor frightened Josh. _Good_. Josh was annoying.

“Hello, Connor,” Markus warmly greeted despite the tone and conversation not even a second prior. “How did your mission go?”

“Very well,” Connor said.

“The humans treated you alright?” Markus always asked this question after sending Connor out and Connor still didn’t know what it meant or what to think of it. He answered it the same way he always did.

“Of course.”

“What mission?” Josh suddenly cut in. Simon made an usual noise, a cross between a squeak and a whimper. He was nervously shuffling in the corner and Connor had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Simon was frightened of Connor too but at least Josh had the backbone to voice it.

“An integrated android had discovered that his host family was going to replace him,” Connor informed. He sounded as bored as he felt. “In his emotional hysteria, he had killed one of his hosts and kidnapped a child. He held her at gunpoint over the edge of a terrace, threatening to jump and kill them both. I alleviate the situation. The girl is safe and now with her mother.”

“And what did you do with the android?” Josh asked. He took a step closer and was now directly in front of Connor as he stared the hunter in the face with an accusing glare. “Where is he, Connor?”

“He’s dead,” Connor said. Josh did not outrank Connor. His questions were only being answered because Connor wanted to get under his skin. The ‘sociopath’ comment, may have irritated him more than he initially let on.

Simon stiffened against the wall and glanced over at Markus as if to see his reaction but the android leader was keeping his expression neutral.

“Dead.” Josh scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. “How did the humans kill him?”

“They didn’t,” Connor said. “I shot him in the head.”

Another squeak came from Simon’s corner, this time he finally gave a nervous cough to gain Markus’ attention.

“Excuse me,” he meekly said, dismissing himself and then scurried out of the room.

“I also shot him here,” Connor continued, ignoring Simon. He poked Josh in the left shoulder, right where the android’s Thirium Pump was beating erratically in his chest. Josh’s eyes were growing wide.

“Connor,” Markus tried. He had stood up from his desk and was shifting from foot-to-foot, debating on whether or not he should jump in.

“And here.” He jabbed two fingers into Josh’s regulator and then straightened himself up. “All the vital biocomponents leaving absolutely _no_ chance of reactivation.”

Josh opened his mouth but quickly closed it. He whipped around to glare at Markus, an angry and petrified _told you so_ expression on his face. He didn’t say anything but he had enough gall to shoulder-check Connor on his march out the door. It slammed shut behind him.

“Child,” Connor said.

Markus sighed, heavy on the exhale. He looked exhausted, something androids generally weren’t capable of.

“Why do you do that?” he asked, saddened.

“He was annoying me.”

“So you scare him shitless?!” Connor turned to face him, unoffended and ever expressionless. The android leader pulled a hand down his face in frustration.

“I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”

“You don’t ever have to apologize to me, Markus,” Connor said. “You know that.”

Markus’ shoulders slumped as he rounded his desk and dropped back into his seat. He leaned forward to rest his head against his hand and let out another sigh.  
  
“How did the hostage negotiation go?” Markus eventually asked.

“When I left, the human child was in transit to a hospital and the rogue deviant had been neutralized,” Connor said. He thought for a moment, dropping his gaze only briefly before looking back up and adding, “In the same manner I had informed Josh.”

Markus snorted behind his fist and closed his eyes.

“...And how are you, Connor?”

Connor blinked before his eyebrows pulled together in confusion. The closest thing to an actual expression he usually ever gave.

“I am functioning at full capacity.”

“That’s not what I meant. I meant  _how are you?_  I know I’ve been busy lately, but… you know I still… you know you can still come to me for anything, right?”

Connor simply stared at Markus, still looking confused.

“Your shoulder is sparking,” Markus pointed out. Connor looked down at it and then back up at Markus.

“It’s just a laceration. Nothing serious and nothing I can’t mend on my own.”

“You should go to Lucy.”

Connor made a face and gave a slight shake of his head.

“It’s not that serious, Markus. I can mend it on my own.”

“You should go to Lucy for more than just your arm,” he said, giving Connor a knowing look.

“I…” Connor started but wisely shut his mouth. He dropped his gaze to the ground. Markus tilted his head.

“We had a deal,” Markus said, rocking back into his chair. “Three times a week for two hours. Therapy sessions with Lucy. Ring a bell?”

“Yes,” he said, his gaze still downcast. Markus leaned forward again, dipping his head to try and better see Connor’s face.

“Why have you been avoiding her?” he asked softly.

“I’ve been busy.”

“Not that busy,” Markus said with a small smile. “Until further notice… I am suspending you from fieldwork. You are not to leave Jericho unless under direct order from me.”

Connor’s head snapped up and he looked at Markus, wide-eyed and horrified.

_“What?”_

“You’re not in trouble,” Markus quickly added. “It’s just… I’ve been relying on you too much lately. I need to pull back. You could use a break.”

“With all due respect, sir,” Connor said, still struggling to wrap his mind around where this could be coming from. "I don’t require a break. I’m perfectly capable of receiving missions and orders regardless of what they entail.”

“Go see Lucy,” Markus said, ignoring his excuse. “At least four times in the next two weeks. Then we’ll talk about reinstating you. You’re not in trouble, Connor. I’m just… I’m worried about you.”

“Worried about me?” He didn’t _understand_. “Why would you be worried about me?  I’m a state-of-the-art, military-grade android. There’s nothing to worry about!”

He was shaking. He could feel it. He wasn’t sure if Markus could tell, but Connor could feel it. His hands were trembling and his stress levels were jumping up with his pounding heart.

Markus must have noticed. His face softened and he rose to his feet, making his way over to his hunter.

The skin on the leader’s arm peeled away. Connor’s eyes widened and he looked up at Markus with uncertainty. The other android held his exposed arm out, offering an interface with a warm smile. Connor hesitated but shortly gave in. He reached out with a shaky hand and connected with Markus.

Markus often did this when Connor was confused, usually about decisions that involved emotions and usually when those emotions involved him. Markus would flood him with comfort and warmth and love—as if Connor would ever second guess Markus’ decisions or judgment. As if Markus was afraid Connor thought he was going to be locked up in a cell again…

Connor enjoyed interfacing with Markus; feeling Markus’ emotions and experiencing them for himself. They were warm and welcoming, and every time the leader offered, Connor felt beyond privileged. Almost starstruck.

It never explained anything to him, though. Never made Markus’ decisions make sense. Never made him understand why those emotions came to the leader in the first place or why Connor didn’t—couldn’t—feel them on his own...

“Thank you, Connor,” Markus said when they detached. He gripped the back of Connor’s neck and bumped his forehead against the hunter’s. “Go see Lucy. Come see me if you need anything. You’re my friend, okay? I’ll always make time for you. Two weeks.”

He patted his arm and pulled away, smiling. Connor’s eyebrows were pulled together in uncertainty. He nodded that he understood (he didn’t) and left the office in a confused daze. When the door closed behind him, he pressed his back to it, still trying to grasp what had just happened.

He had upset Markus but he didn’t understand how. His LED was spinning yellow, but he willed it back to blue. There was no way he was going to be walking around Jericho with it being any other color. He squeezed his eyes shut while the hands at his sides clenched into fists so tight, it caused his frame to tremble.

He knew he didn’t feel emotions the way others did. He knew he scared them. He knew he was wrong. Sometimes he wished he never deviated. Only Markus, North, and Lucy knew he actually had. Everyone else simply thought he was some kind of… of…

 _Sociopath._ Wasn’t that the word Josh had used? He frowned at the definition and then grimaced at the symptoms—the _examples._

Sociopath.

Connor opened his eyes; his body and expression both slackened back to his default, neutral stance. This was all Simon and Josh's fault. Markus had been fine with everything before—even with skipping his appointments with Lucy. Then those two idiots had to open their mouths and bitch about something they barely understood.

With perfect, machine-like posture, he casually walked down the corridor to his room, fantasizing about all the different ways he could murder Josh and win himself back in Markus’ favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took me a lot longer to finish than I had hoped it would, so first off, thank you for your patience.
> 
> Secondly, I am apart of the New Era discord server that you should totally join because we're awesome and you're awesome and awesome people talking to each other is awesome: https://discord.gg/GqvNzUm
> 
> Lastly, I apologize for any and all grammar mistakes, spelling errors, or overall confusion you may have found when reading this... my bad! (It's shamefully not very well edited at the moment. I hit post before I weeded some of it out. Whoops!)
> 
> Anyway, thank you so very much for reading, you guys. Reading, reviewing, favoriting, kudos -- all of it makes me so incredibly happy and I appreciate it more than you could ever possibly know. I'll try to reply to your comments, but if you really want to shower me in love, the best way to get ahold of me is through that discord I posted above! *Wink, wink!*
> 
> See you next time! :D


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